This got me thinking, "what is the best way to solve Metro Manila's traffic problem?" It's easy to make suggestions, what's hard is the implementation and the cost of implementation. So what is the the best way to solve Metro Manila's traffic problem and the most cost effective solution?

Punitive Fines
First of all, any implementation will definitely cost money, a lot of money. The cause of the traffic mess is the people themselves so it's only right that those causing the traffic problem should be fined and the fine should hurt. That way, the fines will pay for the cost of enforcing the law.
The fines should start at P500 and goes up every week if you don't pay it within 15 days. To enforce this and prevent people from ignoring the fine. It will be tied to their driver's license or car registration. They cannot renew their d…

Why the secrecy in the printing of new currency?

VERY FEW people are aware of it, but we are going to have a new set of peso bills very, very soon. We may be giving our godchildren the new bills as gifts this Christmas. The present set of paper Philippine currency will be phased out. New coins will be issued later.

The question is, why is the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) doing this secretly and hastily? The nation is totally unaware of what will happen to their money or how the new money will look like. Malacañang, Congress and the Supreme Court did not know anything about it beforehand. The BSP claims that it is an independent entity and can do anything it wants. In other words, it is the fourth branch of government, a co-equal of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. To get a favorable reaction from President Aquino, the images of his parents, Ninoy and President Cory, will be in the P500 note. But no one, except insiders and a privileged few, have seen the designs.

The new banknotes will be printed by several European printers led by the British company De La Rue although we have a Security Printing Plant that cost the Filipino taxpayers billions of pesos.

The BSP’s ostensible reason for completely changing the nation’s currency—dubbed as the New Generation Currency Project—is “to guard against counterfeiters by making it very difficult and costly for counterfeiters to produce exact copies of our money.” It will do this by upgrading the security features in all our peso bills “to make it easier for the public to detect fake money.” It said it will educate the public “on how to tell genuine banknotes from counterfeits.”

The financial and business community is mystified by the project for several reasons:

1. The reason given by the BSP for the project is to make the country’s currency “counterfeit-proof.” But the present peso bills are not being counterfeited, or facing a “clear and present danger” of being sabotaged by counterfeiters. The BSP has not offered any proof, or even claim, that our currency is being counterfeited. We had a counterfeit president, a counterfeit senator and many counterfeit congressmen, but not many counterfeit peso bills. Financial experts say the Philippine peso is not likely to be targeted by serious counterfeiters because it is not widely used and the volume is small. Counterfeiters will focus their talents, energies and resources on the US dollar, the euro and other heavyweight currencies because the criminal returns there are huge.

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Welcome Google visitors! If you're looking for old Manila pictures from the 1950s to the 1970s, you've come to the right place.

You'll see a collection of nostalgic photos when Manila was in its heyday. Just a quick note, I don't take credit for these photos. Somebody just sent them to me and I felt that it was important that I share it in the hopes that other people will see how beautiful Manila was and hopefully help bring it back to its former glory.

Manila when it was the most beautiful city in Asia in the 1950s to 1970s

The photos must have been taken in different years, from the mid 1950's to the mid 1960's, judging from the car models (though some cars are pre 1950'd). Where is O'Henry's Coffee and Donut shop in Plaza Sta Cruz (Plaza near Escolta & Reina Regente)?

Just read this article on Inquirer.net about Globe complaining that the PLDT and Digitel merger would create a monopoly.
PLDT chair Manuel V. Pangilinan on Tuesday hit out at Globe, accusing the Ayala group of monopolistic business practices.

“PLDT is not allowed to install phone services inside malls and real estate developments (owned by the Ayala group), despite the clamor from their tenants,” Pangilinan said, noting that Globe was allowed to offer telecom services in these areas.

The Ayala group, through its Ayala Land unit, is one of the country’s largest property developers. It operates shopping malls in Metro Manila, Cebu and Pampanga.

It's funny how these big companies fight don't they? They talk about the danger of having a monopoly but all these talk are just of course to protect their business interest. In the end, the consumer ends up with the raw end of the deal.